Message From The President

So far, 2026 has gotten off to a cold, snowy start.  For much of the Mid-West, the temperatures have been challenging and along with a recent Winter Snowstorm many of us are anxiously awaiting warmer days.  The Spring Equinox occurs on March 20th and marks the first day of Spring.  Let’s hope there are enough shows on Netflix to tide us over until then!

As we kick off 2026, I wanted to share a few thoughts with you directly. It feels like every time I turn around, there’s something new happening with AI (Artificial Intelligence). Remember when ChatGPT first hit the news back in 2023? College students were using it to write essays, and everyone was trying to figure out what it meant. Now, AI is everywhere, and it’ s a main topic of strategic discussion for small businesses, large corporations and even government.

Here at CNB, we’re taking a careful but curious approach to AI. We’re doing our homework, talking with regulators, and meeting as a team to make sure we use AI in ways that help you and keep everyone safe. The bank has established an AI policy and I’m personally involved with AI task forces at the State and National level, so we’re always learning from others in the industry. We don’t want to just sit on the sidelines and watch change happen. We want to be out there making smart choices for everyone who counts on us.

What are your views on AI and how it might impact your business, customers and daily life?  We believe it will take excellent open communication and a willingness to share ideas to succeed and use AI to help us grow.  If you have questions, expertise or are simply curious about the subject of AI, let us know!  We want to hear from you and work together.  Reach out to your local CNB Branch or representative to start the conversation.